Restaurants

Pastaio

Pastaio.

Technically, it means pasta-maker, but it’s also a rough approximation of the sound you’re going to make when you take your first mouthful here.

Because if you’ve had the cacio e pepe at Stevie Parle’s Palatino, you’ll understand the unadulterated, leg-jittering excitement surrounding his latest opening. Slap bang in the heart of Soho, this first properly central spot is a more laid-back (and, ergo, affordable) affair than his other restaurants, with long communal terrazzo tables and contemporary interiors, rather than a chintzy replica of an Italian trattoria.

Here, he’s serving up the kind of steaming plates of freshly-made pasta that he’s perfected at Palatino and Rotorino, only with a British seasonal twist, including caserecce (a kind of ‘free form’ pasta) with pesto, green beans and potato; gravy ravioli; grouse, rabbit and pork agnoli and a whole lot more of that cacio e pepe spaghetti. And if you’re not a pasta fan, there’ll be plenty of Italian inspired smaller plates, like anchovy-stuffed pepperoncini, Castelfranco and pomegranate salad, and a fried mozzarella sandwich.

And to wash it all down? £4 prosecco slushies, of course.

…Which might quickly become less affordable.

NOTE: Pastaio is open Monday-Saturday, noon-late, and is walk-in only. You can find out more on their webiste HERE.